One type of personal emergency life preserving equipment designed to be worn and utilized by a specific user is life jackets. Certain life jackets comprise inflatable balloons as an additional life preserving feature. The balloon may be inflated upon actuation in the event of an emergency. One example of a life jacket with an inflatable balloon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,754 to Aschauer et al. ("Aschauer"). Aschauer discloses a rescue apparatus that includes a balloon bound to a frame securable to a user. The apparatus comprises a rigid frame with a collar to which the filling opening of the balloon is attached. A balloon filling mechanism and the balloon are disposed within the frame for the stated purposes of functional safety during release, balloon inflation and actual and repeated use. Aschauer discloses that the balloon is inflated by pressurized gas to buoy the attached person at the surface of the avalanche.
Other types of personal emergency life preserving equipment also may be worn and utilized by a specific user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,106 to Prager ("Prager") discloses a life preserving equipment designed to be worn by a user on or in the water. The life preserving equipment comprises a rigid elongated housing having a hinged cover. The housing encloses an inflatable member which in turn encloses a gas release system. The gas release system comprises a compressed gas cartridge with a diaphragm, a cartridge puncturing pin, and a cooperating lever. Upon opening the hinged cover, levers carried by the housing and the cover actuate a cooperating lever to force the puncturing pin into the diaphragm of the gas cartridge. Upon puncturing the diaphragm, the gas cartridge discharges the gas contained therein into the inflatable member to thereby inflate the member. During inflation of the member, the inflatable member exits the housing and is tethered to the housing via a cord coupled therebetween.
In both life preserving equipment described above, the balloon, upon inflation, does not surround the user's head and thus does not provide physical protection to the user's head. For example, the balloon does not provide a buffer between the user's head and any potential danger such as falling rocks in the event of an emergency such as an avalanche.
In addition, conventional life preserving equipment are usually large and bulky and relatively expensive. Further, neither of the above references describe a life preserving equipment having automatic actuation upon detection of an emergency such that the balloon would be inflated even if a user neglects to manually actuate the equipment.